Jun 24, 2019

Adjusting to Life in Israel

Thirty-five years ago, Vered made the difficult journey from Ethiopia to Israel. Then only four years old, she joined her parents and five brothers on a trip to freedom that took several months. Her late father told her that he came for his children so they could have a better life.

After living in an Absorption Center in Atlit for a year and a half, the family settled into life in Israel. Vered earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications from Haifa University and began working for The Jewish Agency. Today, she serves as the Social Integration Director for 22 Jewish Agency Absorption Centers across the country.

Vered brings a personal perspective to her job, where she stresses the importance of perseverance in the face of the challenges of adjusting to a new country. “I tell them about my own story,” she said. “I emphasize that the government makes it possible for them to study and succeed, but everything hinges on their perspective as a person, and how they want to succeed…It’s the personal undertaking of each and every immigrant.”